Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

[samm835]

Last week I replaced my old original starter solenoid (1978 Merc - 90HP) with a new one. Once I replaced it the motor would start perfect everytime it was turned on. I put the boat away, and then a day or so later I went to start prior to taking to the lake and heard the soleniod click again like the old one was doing and not starting. Now it doesn't even click, do you think I just got a bad soleniod or should I be looking for something specific as to why I went through two of these. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Last week I replaced my old original starter solenoid (1978 Merc - 90HP) with a new one. Once I replaced it the motor would start perfect everytime it was turned on. I put the boat away, and then a day or so later I went to start prior to taking to the lake and heard the soleniod click again like the old one was doing and not starting. Now it doesn't even click, do you think I just got a bad soleniod or should I be looking for something specific as to why I went through two of these. Thanks for any ideas.

The first thing I would do is look for a bad ground and dirty battery cables.

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

That was something I did when I replaced it, I lightly sanded all cables and also the battery terminals. When you say a bad ground, do you mean like the ground coming off my actual starter? Because I did notice after having issues with my second soleniod that the ground to the starter wasn't even close to being tight. So I tightened it up really good, and now I am not getting anything. Could the lose starter ground have been the issue for screwing up both soleniods? After I noticed that starter ground being lose I went through and made sure everything else was tight and clean though.
Thanks

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Any other thoughts? I don't want to buy another starter soleniod without fixing any other issues I might have first. Thanks for the help.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Any other thoughts? I don't want to buy another starter soleniod without fixing any other issues I might have first. Thanks for the help.

I'd check the starter current. Should be under 150 amps. If that's normal, you got a brand new bad solenoid. It happens.

John

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

A clicking starter solenoid followed by nothing indicates a bad battery, bad connections, bad ignition switch, or bad wiring. Start at the battery and follow the current. When you turn the key to START, check for +12 volts at the small terminal on the solenoid. Bet you don't see it. If not, disconnect the large engine harness plug and check for corrosion. Clean it up and then connect-disconnect-reconnect several times to ensure a good connection. Try again. Loose connections and weak batteries do not fry solenoids and I would bet the first one is not toast either.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

A clicking starter solenoid followed by nothing indicates a bad battery, bad connections, bad ignition switch, or bad wiring. Start at the battery and follow the current. When you turn the key to START, check for +12 volts at the small terminal on the solenoid. Bet you don't see it. If not, disconnect the large engine harness plug and check for corrosion. Clean it up and then connect-disconnect-reconnect several times to ensure a good connection. Try again. Loose connections and weak batteries do not fry solenoids and I would bet the first one is not toast either.

Absolutely Agree!

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Thanks for all the steps to go through, I will walk through all tonight and hopefully this will fix the issues. If it wasn't the soleniod and only bad connections....oh well I guess I will have an extra one in the garage if its ever needed in the future. Good thing it was only around 20 bucks. Thanks again and you guys have a good day!

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

OK so here is where I am at now, I went through all my connections and sanded and clean them...and yes they did need them really bad. So once sanded I put everything back together and it turned over perfectly. So I turned it off, and was doing some other maintenance on the boat....and I went back to turn the motor over again prior to putting up.....and NOTHING, not even a click from the soleniod. At this point I know all connections are cleaned, I do not have a meter and I know this is what most are going to say and get to see if I am getting correct voltage to soleniod, but at this point I am a one man show. It might be a little hard to have my 3yr old turn the motor over(I did think about it). So before I have a friend drive over to help, should I be looking at anything else to clean or bad connections? The ignition switch has been at the top of my mind to look over also, I guess I should have the friend over so I don't waste time and money on a new ignition swith for no reason. I thought I would see if there was anything else I should look for while doing this work. Thanks

 

[sschefer]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

I think you've answered your own question. Go to your local autoparts store and get an inexpensive remote starter.

Hook one lead to the + battery cable at the solenoid and the other to the yellow/red stripe wire on the solenoid. If it starts/turns over and does so repeatedly then the ignition switch might be bad or it could be a bad harness connector. Have you taken the multi-pin connector that connects the boat wiring to the motor apart and cleaned it? I think that was mentioned before.

 

[BullyARed]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Sound like the problem I had with my Mercury outboard 200HP. See my thread recently ("Turn on ignition key and starter does not turn "). I isolated the problem to the throttle control (safety neutral control). I sprayed the throttle control with W-40 and put it in neutral correctly. At first I thougth it was the selenoid, but after I shortwired it, it clicked and it was not the selenoid problem. I checked voltage across the two little selenoid terminals when the key was on "Start" position, and there was no current. I hotwired the ignition switch, it didn't work either. Finally with suggestions from Verado7 and CharlesB, I checked the throttle control box. Good luck.

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

OK it took a couple of days, but I was finally able to test my motor. I hooked everything up and put they key in the start position. I tested the small terminals on the starter soleniod....I had 12v, but it still wouldn't turn over. So I am guessing this means I am getting power to the starter soleniod...shouldn't my starter be turning over then? The connections are clean everywhere well atleast on the battery and starter and starter soleniod. Any other thoughts? Please...........

 

[j_martin]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

OK it took a couple of days, but I was finally able to test my motor. I hooked everything up and put they key in the start position. I tested the small terminals on the starter soleniod....I had 12v, but it still wouldn't turn over. So I am guessing this means I am getting power to the starter soleniod...shouldn't my starter be turning over then? The connections are clean everywhere well atleast on the battery and starter and starter soleniod. Any other thoughts? Please...........

Check the solenoid ground, which might be through mounting screws, both on the solenoid and on whatever it's bolted to.

The ground return circuit might also go through some sort of safety switching. I don't have a diagram for your motor.

If these are good, then the solenoid is bad.

hope it helps
john

 

[samm835]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

John, Thanks for your help. Here is a link a diagram of what I have.
http://www.maxrules.com/oldmercs/Wiring/1966ona/31.jpg

the soleniod is new(it could be bad, but doubt it), so I need to go through it and clean and make sure my grounds are clean and tight. Is there a chance my issues might be from my neutral safety switch in my throttle? How can I check to see if that is my issue?

 

[westexasrepublic]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

Sound like the problem I had with my Mercury outboard 200HP. See my thread recently ("Turn on ignition key and starter does not turn "). I isolated the problem to the throttle control (safety neutral control). I sprayed the throttle control with W-40 and put it in neutral correctly. At first I thougth it was the selenoid, but after I shortwired it, it clicked and it was not the selenoid problem. I checked voltage across the two little selenoid terminals when the key was on "Start" position, and there was no current. I hotwired the ignition switch, it didn't work either. Finally with suggestions from Verado7 and CharlesB, I checked the throttle control box. Good luck.

Im gonna agree with this guy... I bet it something simple like not in neutral, and I dont mean the control is not in neutral, I mean that if you open up your control box there is a little switch that keeps you from starting the boat while in gear, and I bet some how it is being pushed.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Two Starter Soleniods over the weekend

The neutral safety is in the 12 v side of the circuit, between the key switch and the harness. If there's 12V at the solenoid coil terminal, then the neutral safety switch is working.

The ground return circuit goes directly to frame ground, but through a shared crimp connection in the cannon plug. That, likely, is where the problem is.

You can replace it with a jumper directly to the engine frame without any issues, safety or otherwise.

Check to be sure a sufficient ground exists between the control set ground and the engine frame. If it doesn't, the controls could "tickle" you.

hope it helps
John